Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1887-03-12
SCHOOL INTERESTS NO. is.

tcacnerS nave thus lar had reference
more particularly to their qualifea-
tions for the work. Before leaving
that part of these discussions desire
to speak of some of the duties the
teacher owes to himself, to his pupils.
to parents and his profession. In do
ing SO | may possibly enter, to some
extent, upon ground already gone
over; but as all these requisites are
so closely allied, this seems to be un-
avoidable.
Those who enter upon the teachers
profession assume duties and respon-
sibilities of no small magnitude, and
certainly no wise person will assume
them with indifference as regards his
duty to himself.
l. He should feel the importance of
his ,cork and the dignity Of his calling.
Without these he is not likely to
engage in teaching with that zeal and
earnestness necessary 10 success in the
advancement of his pupils and the
making of his own reputation. /
make this broad assertion that his
calling is second to none ON earth in
its dignity, Importance, and its far
reaching results. Indeed, he exerts a
power greater than that of the worlds
most successful general. 1t is not
Immediately as manifest as some
other of the worlds great and impos-
ing enterprises, but its force per-
meates and leads the power that
pushes forward every laudable enter
prise in all the departments of life.
The artist, in making his beautiful
and life-like images, performs work
which we all must admire; but the
teacher, in moulding and guiding the
| immortal mind, does a work as far
superior to that of the artist as the
mind excels inanimate matter. The
statesman occupies high and honor
able position, but his wise and just
regulations must remain dead let
ter on the statute book until men are
educated to understand and appre-
ciate their significance and utility
Not so with the teacher. His labors
produce no volumes of mere lifeless
statutes, but living, intelligent, active,
self-interpreting men,-men who are
not only self-regulating, but whose
example attracts, excites, WHITES and
directs all within the sphere of its in
huence. The minister whose high
and holy calling is to aid in healing
the maladies of the soul, is certainly
engaged in noble work. But the
teacher, being brought directly in
contact with mind in its plastic and
most impossible state, can do much
more to restrain from vice, to encour-
age to virtue, and aid in forming
characters whose good influence shall
produce and reproduce their repre-
sentatives while time shall last. In
fine. every principle of truth, every
seed of virtue which the faithful
teacher has implanted in the soul OF
his pupil, shall continue to germi-
nate and bear precious fruit so long as
the soul itself shall exist.
] 2. Besides the necessary scholarship
the teacher o,ces it to himself and has
pupils TO hare ms mind cultivated and
stored aoith useful knoateotge.
He should possess reasonable share
of useful general knowledge, so that
he may have full supply on which
to draw for all his illustrations. in
order to make them plain and clear
to the great variety OF minds upon
which he is to act. Mere book knowl.
edge is not sufficient. We have en-
tlrely too many book teachers. They
go with and by the book and just as